IECEE OD-5011

Edition 1.0 2015-06-03

IECEE
OPERATIONAL DOCUMENT

IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment

and Components (IECEE System)

Committee of Testing Laboratories (CTL)

Requirements for Traceability of Calibrations and Calibration Intervals

IECEE OD-5011:2015(EN)
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 IECEE OD-5011
Edition 1.0 2015-06-03

IECEE
OPERATIONAL DOCUMENT

IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical

Equipment and Components (IECEE System)

Committee of Testing Laboratories (CTL)

Requirements for Traceability of Calibrations and Calibration Intervals

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION PRICE CODE
ZZ
IECEE OD-5011:2015 © IEC 2015 –2–

CONTENTS
CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................ 2
Background ............................................................................................................................ 3
1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................... 3
2 Scope .............................................................................................................................. 3
3 Normative References ..................................................................................................... 3
4 Definitions ....................................................................................................................... 3
5 Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. 3
6 Responsibility of the laboratory ........................................................................................ 3
7 General ........................................................................................................................... 3
8 Requirements .................................................................................................................. 4
Annex A Calibration Interval Extension Example (informative) ....................................... 6
 –3– IECEE OD-5011:2015 © IEC 2015

Background
The CTL decided in 2014 to convert the CTL Operational Procedure (OP) into the IECEE
Operational Document (OD) structure. The content of the former OP’s has not been changed.
Editorial adjustments have been made where necessary. The forms have been separated into
independent documents for better handling.

A transfer table which CTL/OP has been transferred into which OD is given in OD 5000.

1 Purpose
The purpose of this document is to establish uniform requirements for traceability of
calibrations and calibration intervals to help ensure consistent and repeatable test results.

2 Scope
The requirements contained in this document apply to laboratory equipment required to be
calibrated under the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. These requirements do not apply to
chemical testing.

3 Normative References
The following publication contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute
modification or additions of this Operational Document.

ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
NCSL Calibration Intervals
recommended
practice RP-1
2010
ILAC-G24 2007 Guidelines for the determination of calibration intervals of measuring
instruments

4 Definitions
For the purpose of this publication, the definitions of IECEE Definitions apply with the
following additions:

None

5 Abbreviations

None

6 Responsibility of the laboratory

The laboratory shall have procedures in place to ensure that the requirements for traceability
of calibrations and calibration intervals are met.

7 General
Requirements given in this document are to be followed to help ensure test consistency and
repeatability.
IECEE OD-5011:2015 © IEC 2015 –4–

8 Requirements

8.1 Traceability of Calibrations

8.1.1 Calibrations shall be regarded as being traceable if the calibrations are done by
following the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, “General requirements for the competence of
testing and calibration laboratories”, and by one of the following:
a) The instrument was calibrated by a National Metrology Institute.
b) The instrument was calibrated by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration laboratory.
c) The instrument was calibrated by an internal or external calibration laboratory assessed
on an annual basis, by the CBTL, NCB or responsible department within the CBTL or
NCB, and found to comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. The assessments
shall be conducted by a qualified ISO/IEC 17025 assessor or metrologist.
An external calibration laboratory that is not accredited should only be used in the event that
an accredited calibration laboratory is not available or practical to use.

For specialized instruments where no accredited calibration laboratory is available, the

instrument may be calibrated by the instrument manufacturer provided that the calibration
standards used are traceable to national or international units of measurement, the
traceability chain is identified and an estimation of uncertainty of measurement is included on
the calibration certificate.

8.1.2 Calibrations shall be made by an unbroken chain of comparisons to:

a) Units of measure of The International System of Units (SI).
b) Fundamental physical constants.
c) Certified Reference Materials, in the event that (a) and (b) do not exist for the
measurement property.

8.2 Calibration Intervals for Test Equipment Requiring Calibration

8.2.1 All test equipment requiring calibration shall undergo an initial calibration before being
put into service. The initial calibration period shall be of a nominal maximum period as
follows:

a) One year for electrical, electronic and mechanical test equipment.

b) Three years for mechanical test equipment made of solid materials not subject to
deterioration.
c) As recommended by the manufacturer of the instrument.
Thereafter, the maximum calibration interval applied shall be appropriate to assure that the
accuracy of the equipment remains within the specifications stated by the laboratory.

Assigned calibration intervals shall consider, as a minimum, the past calibration results, the
environmental conditions and handling to which the equipment is exposed. Reduction of
calibration intervals shall be made, when necessary so equipment is maintained within the
accuracies indicated by the laboratory.

Laboratories having well established and documented procedures for the adjustment of
calibration intervals for test devices may continue to operate according to these procedures.
The laboratory may establish the limits within the maximum equipment tolerance specification
to determine whether to extend the calibration interval of test equipment based on historical
calibration data. Refer to “X” limit in Annex A.
Note (informative) – Refer to IECEE CTL 251 regarding default test equipment accuracies
8.2.2 Test equipment that is "fail safe" in that failure would be evident to a user (with
laboratory procedures requiring the user to check the equipment before use) may be put on
the status of "Initial Calibration Only” (ICO). Periodic inspections shall be performed to determine the
 –5– IECEE OD-5011:2015 © IEC 2015

condition of equipment placed on ICO status. Examples of the equipment that can be placed on ICO
status are: steel rules, tape measures, weights 4,5 kg or more calibrated to +/-1% tolerance, single
piece steel probes greater than or equal to 3 mm diameter with blunt ends, graduate cylinder,
thermometers, steel impact balls, steel or plastic probes with no moving parts and sufficient structural
integrity so as to not deform.

8.2.3 Weights do not need to be calibrated if verified with a calibrated scale (balance) before each
use. The verification must be documented.

8.2.4 Infrequently used test equipment may be assigned the status of "calibrate before use" instead
of a periodic calibration.

8.3 Calibration intervals may be extended when there is sufficient data from prior calibrations to
assure that the instrument will continue to maintain the stated accuracies over the extended calibration
interval. It is recommended that the extension of calibration intervals not be more than 50% of the prior
calibration interval. Historical calibration data may be used to support longer calibration intervals
where stability of the instrument is demonstrated. Risks associated with the extension of calibration
intervals shall be considered with regard to test results and the ability to review all work affected by
nonconforming equipment. As a minimum, influences due to the frequency of equipment use, the
environment in which the equipment is used and the effects of transporting equipment shall be
considered. The laboratory may establish the limits within the maximum equipment tolerance
specification to determine whether to continue application of an extended calibration interval based on
historical calibration data. Refer to the “Y” limit in Annex A.
IECEE OD-5011:2015 © IEC 2015 –6–

Annex A Calibration Interval Extension Example (informative)

Calibrate measurement equipment

Does equipment Calibration

No Yes
have an existing values are within
extended ‘X’ of specified
calibration limits?
interval?

No
Yes

Calibration values
are within ‘Y’ of No
specified limits to
allow extended
calibration interval
to be applied?

Yes

Does historical
Calibration interval Yes calibration data
may be extended. support
Refer to clause 6.3 extension of
calibration

No
Apply nominal
calibration interval.
Refer to clause
6.2.1
 –7– IECEE OD-5011:2015 © IEC 2015

Calibration data obtained from the nominal calibration intervals of equipment that has been in
use by the lab provides an indication that all calibrated parameters are found to remain within
‘X’ tolerance limits. Extended calibration intervals may be applied and continued when
calibrations carried out at the end of the extended calibration interval continue to indicate that
all calibrated parameters are found within ‘Y’ tolerance limits. For example, ‘X’ of the specified
limit is used to determine whether to extend the calibration interval for equipment that has
been recalibrated. ‘Y’ of the specified limit is used to determine whether to continue the
application of an extended calibration interval. These values may be integers, percentages,
etc.

Symmetrical specification

“+” Specified tolerance limit

‘Y’ of + tolerance limit

‘X’ of + tolerance limit + Tolerance

Center of the specified interval

Adjustment*

‘X’ of - tolerance limit - Tolerance

‘Y’ of - tolerance limit

-
“ “ Specified tolerance limit
Calibration

Asymmetrical specification

+ Specified Limit
Calibration value
‘Y’ of tolerance limit
Adjustment
‘X’ of tolerance limit

*The need for adjustment of the equipment is determined by the equipment owner

The above figures refer to values allocated with a tolerance, i.e., gauges, probes, specified
amperage values etc. When considering the calibration of instruments, the word ‘accuracy’ is
relevant.
INTERNATIONAL IEC SYSTEM OF CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
ELECTROTECHNICAL SCHEMES FOR ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS (IECEE)

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